wfn.org | Executive Council embraces changes

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2002-052

Executive Council embraces changes with 
long-term implicationsfor church

by James Solheim
(ENS) Change was in the air as members of the
Episcopal Church's Executive Council gathered in San
Antonio February 22. On the agenda were a number of
proposals that carried the potential for reshaping the
church for years to come. 

Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD), for example,
was seeking a change in its corporate status that could
mean raising as much as $20 million a year for its work.
A Memorandum of Intent, recently passed by the board
of the General Theological Seminary, offered a road map
that would result in a move of the national offices across
town to the GTS campus. A new survey was released
that will now be used to establish mission priorities-and
aid the church's efforts to double participation in parish
life by 20/20. Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold laid
out a reorganization of the church's ethnic ministries to
better serve the 20/20 initiative. And the church elected a
new treasurer who reassured the council that prudent
fiscal management is making it possible to support the
church's mission. 

However, council members also heard a sobering report
from the task force that has been visiting the three
dioceses that do not ordain women to the priesthood and
they expressed "sadness" at the formation of the Anglican
Mission in America (AMiA) and its "irregular"
consecration of bishops in June 2001 in Denver. 

In his opening comments, Griswold described events in
the life of the church since the council's last meeting in
Florida, including his participation in the World Economic
Forum, anti-racism hearings in Washington, DC, and a
recent visit to the church in Nigeria. While it was difficult
to connect in the face of significant cultural differences
and even some suspicions, "by the end of the visit we
developed a deep sense of commonality," he said. The
visit underscored Griswold's conclusion that "we must
always speak and act recognizing the global implications."
He concluded that the visit was another example of "God
in Christ meeting me in a completely different way." 

Reorganizing ethnic ministries

In announcing the reorganization of ethnic ministries,
Griswold said that the change comes as part of a
"strategic thinking process" that is seeking to align the
work of the staff with the "mission energies of the broader
church." He added that "it has become clear that our best
energies in seeking to serve the ethnic communities need
to be focused on congregational development and clergy
recruitment," bringing it in line "with the vision of 20/20,
the mission energies around the church, and the
demographics of our nation." 

The result is creation of a new grouping to be called
Ethnic Congregational Development with a new director
who will report to the assistant to the presiding bishop for
program, Sonia Francis. New job descriptions have been
prepared for positions serving African-American,
Asian-American, Hispanic and Native American
communities. 

In its capacity as the board of directors for the Domestic
and Foreign Missionary Society, the council approved the
incorporation of ERD as a separate not-for-profit
corporation. 

In outlining the rationale, ERD says that the change "will
allow ERD to receive matching gifts from foundations and
corporations that do not fund churches, to solicit funds
from a broader audience of philanthropic institutions and
from individuals who prefer that their contributions go
directly to humanitarian activities, not through a church."
The change will also strengthen the operation and
accountability of ERD. 

A memorandum of understanding outlines the relationship
of ERD to the church, including the nomination and
election of board members and a commitment "to work
collaboratively with the Episcopal Church within the
context of the priorities and programs of the church" and
collaboration on all fundraising activities. ERD staff "will
be employed by DFMS and seconded to ERD," subject
to the church's personnel policies. 

Bishop Robert Tharp, who chairs the ERD board,
assured council members that "ERD will continue to be
connected in a very direct way with the church." 

Church Center move?

The council also approved a Memorandum of Intent (text
available at http://www. gts.edu) between the church and
the General Theological Seminary that "constitutes an
expression of the current interest and intent" of both
parties to move ahead while not legally binding either. The
memorandum already approved by the board of GTS,
"moves us to the next stage of the initiative," according to
Russ Palmore of Virginia, one of the six members of the
committee that produced the memorandum. 

"We are still on board and think this can work," said Dall
Forsythe of New York, another member of the
committee who made the presentation to council. "The
train is moving down the tracks but will make some stops
when either party can get off." 

In the first phase, already underway, both parties are
evaluating their space requirements, reviewing ownership
options and budgets. The next stage must seek the
necessary approvals and create a more binding set of
agreements. 

Pat Mordecai, assistant to the presiding bishop for
administration, said that phase one could be completed
by the June meeting of the council and that the approval
process in phase two could take 14-18 months. She said
that the definitive agreement between the two parties "will
determine the feasibility of moving forward," barring
surprises in the construction bids that are key in phase
three. 

Enthusiasm on 20/20 initiative

The council welcomed several visitors who had been part
of a recent meeting at Camp Allen in Texas on the
church's 20/20 initiative to double church participation.
Their testimonies evoked considerable enthusiasm among
council members. 

S. Dylan Breuer of Maryland said that she was
encouraged by the diversity at the meeting and the interest
of the national church, noting that "there is a lot of
untapped creativity out there." The Rev. Timothy Jones of
Tennessee pointed out that 80 percent of Americans
report that they experience the need for spiritual growth,
creating an "amazing opportunity for the church to meet
that spiritual curiosity and hunger." 

The 20/20 initiative could "change the face of the church,"
said council member the Rev. Kwasi Thornell of Southern
Ohio. "We're talking about creating a new church, using
new technologies." He urged council members and the
whole church to "get on board. We can't stop here." 

A survey of the church commissioned by the council to
provide data for mission priorities and budgeting
"identified energy fields within key church constituencies,"
including clergy and laity, bishops, national leaders, and
General Convention deputies, that will be useful as the
20/20 initiative unfolds in the coming years. The survey
revealed a high level of interest and involvement, with
substantial consensus on the role of a church that is
ecumenical and socially conscious-and a deep interest in
ministry to youth and "spiritual growth and discipleship." 

In presenting the results to the council, John Gilfeather
said that the survey provides "tremendous building blocks
and a foundation" for the 20/20 initiative. In response,
Richard Miller of Southeast Florida, chair of the
administration and finance committee, said that the survey
will help council "test priorities and make decisions on
mission." 

Signs of tension

The council heard a sobering report on the visits of task
force members to the three dioceses that do not ordain
women to the priesthood. A resolution at the Denver
General Convention asked council to "monitor progress
toward full access of women to the ordination process, as
required by the canons." 

Sarah Harte of New York, a council member who
co-chairs the task force, reported that members were
greeted with suspicion in the Diocese of San Joaquin.
Bishop John David Schofield indicated that he is open to
the movement of the Holy Spirit over the ordination issue
but "he is not currently convinced that the work of the
General Convention in revising the canons was, in fact,
reflective of the will of the Holy Spirit." 

In the Diocese of Ft. Worth, task force members were
told that Bishop Jack Iker "sees our work as intrusive
and negatively reflecting on the life of the diocese,"
according to Harte. She said that diocesan leaders shared
stories of their isolation and what they perceive as
"persecution from the national church," asking for "space,
freedom and respect." 

Task force members were told that the Diocese of
Quincy has two women serving as deacons but that no
woman has presented herself yet for ordination. Harte
said that "it was a good and positive first step in the
process" and that the task force looks forward to meeting
with Quincy bishop Keith Ackerman and diocesan
leaders again. 

Maintaining unity

Council members unanimously passed a strongly worded
statement saying they were "saddened and grieved" that
the Anglican Mission in America consecrated several
bishop in Denver in June 2001. 

"In spite of the differences of opinion on issues
confronting our church today, we are of one mind and
heart in our concern for the unity of the church," the
statement said. The council said it recognized its
responsibility to address "the inherent danger which
comes from schism, whether it be as a body which
departs from the Episcopal Church or from another
province of the Anglican Communion. We find the
coexistence of parallel bodies within one province, both
claiming to be in communion with the See of Canterbury,
to be untenable." 

The statement said that "bishops of our church who
participate in these irregular ordinations" are doing so "in
direct violation of their ordination vows to conform to the
doctrine, discipline and worship of the Episcopal Church
and to guard our church's faith, unity and discipline, as
well as its constitutions and canons." All members of
council present at the time signed the statement. 

In other actions the council: 

*heard a stimulating report on the host Diocese of West
Texas, its ministries and commitments, by Bishop James
Folts; 

*called on Congress and the Administration "to pass
meaningful conservation-based legislation consistent with
the long-standing belief that we are stewards of God's
creation, responsible for its care and preservation" and
stated again the church's opposition to drilling in the
Alaska National Wildlife Refuge; 

*reaffirmed its commitment to reduce poverty in America,
calling on the government to help the working poor move
out of poverty, improve its networks of programs to
reduce the numbers of those living in poverty, and
mobilize the church to support programs to reduce
poverty; 

*elected Ralph L. O'Hara treasurer of the Domestic and
Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal
Church in the USA; 

*welcomed the inauguration of Churches Uniting in
Christ, a nine-member organization succeeding the
Consultation on Church Union; 

*received reports from covenant committees dealing with
relationships with Central America and Liberia; and 

*clarified the role of the Episcopal Council on Indigenous
Ministry as a committee of the Executive Council. 

--James Solheim is director of Episcopal News
Service.